5 of the best silver watches, fashionably using an out-of-fashion case material

Buffy Acacia

In historical terms, stainless steel is a modern miracle. We certainly take it for granted today that there’s an abundant material that is strong, rust-proof, and relatively easy to fabricate, but that wasn’t always the case. For thousands of years, precious metals were held in high regard because of their corrosion resistance, relative rarity, and of course, beauty. Gold remains, for want of a better phrase, the gold standard. Silver, on the other hand, was once prevalent in watchmaking as a case material during the age of pocket watches, but it fell out of use pretty quickly during the 20th century. Now, with a brand as big as Tudor returning to sterling silver as a case material, it may signal an emerging trend. Will silver be the next big thing in wristwatches? Here are five of the best examples, and you can decide for yourself.

Sinn 1739 Ag B

Sinn is not a brand many people think of when considering dress watches, but perhaps they should. The 1739 Ag B is a captivating piece of design, with its fluted trumpet indices and hands providing a unique element among other dress watches. That said, it’s a subtle enough point of difference that it doesn’t feel overly quirky. The applied Sinn logo and the sectored blue sunburst dial create a richness that draws the eye, and then there’s the 39mm case made of 935 Argentium silver. Argentium silver is a patented alloy that introduces germanium for tarnish resistance, allowing for higher silver purities than the standard 92.5% mix of sterling silver with copper. The automatic calibre SW300-1 allows for the case’s slender 9.1mm thickness and provides a 4Hz beat rate over a 42-hour power reserve. Price: US$2,680

Tudor Black Bay 58 925

Although the Tudor Black Bay 58 925 is one of the most recently released watches on this list, it has rocketed to the front of watch collector awareness. Being a subsidiary and the pseudo-tier-replacement of Rolex, Tudor has been one of the most popular watchmakers in recent years. Adopting a sterling silver case was a completely unexpected move, and it raised a lot of eyebrows as a material for a dive watch. Silver, while resistant to corrosion, does tarnish. Moisture accelerates the tarnishing, but by the smokey, taupe-meets-grey tone of the dial and bezel, that’s exactly the effect Tudor wants to see. The ability to develop a patina is the main draw for bronze watches, so Tudor has reclaimed that ethos in a white metal context. Price: US$4,650

James Lamb Origin Series

For most large-scale watch brands, choosing a watch material is as simple as swapping out the block to be machined. Sure, they might need to change out the tooling and the lubricants as well, but the case components are almost always machined by a computer program. Not so for James Lamb. As an independent watchmaker based in the United Kingdom, James Lamb makes these cases with traditional silversmithing techniques and hand tools. Each one is perfectly imperfect, showcasing the passion that goes into every model, and the 50-piece limited edition dials are also made of silver with gorgeous champlevé enamel based on the four seasons. James Lamb uses 935 Argentium silver for its tarnish-resistant properties, and although the movement is a humble Sellita SW200-1, you’re paying for the artisanal craftsmanship of the case and dial. Price: US$8,900

Ochs und Junior Day/Night

Having turned 18 this year, Ochs und Junior has only just reached metaphorical adulthood as a watch brand. It began as the brainchild of Ludwig Oechslin, who famously developed the Ulysse Nardin Freak, and co-founded with Beat Weinmann. Oechslin also restored an astronomical clock in the Vatican Library, recreated the Antikythera, and advanced perpetual calendar technology, so his horological prowess clearly isn’t to be questioned. The Day/Night is an absolute masterpiece of minimalist design with astonishing capabilities. It doesn’t just split day and night into two 12-hour blocks, instead allowing for an exact display of sunrise, sunset, solar noon and the solstices, and it can even be adjusted for daylight savings time in a flash. These watches are made to order and personalised for your location in the world, and they can be updated if you ever move across countries in the future. It uses a Ulysse Nardin UN-320 as a base movement and is then customised with 13 components designed by Oechslin. It’s available either in grade 5 titanium or of course, 925 sterling silver. Price: CHF 19,600 (starting price with a 925 case, ~US$22,645)

Time+Tide Timeless Pick: Must de Cartier Tank

During the quartz crisis of the 1970s, Cartier created a sub-collection called Must de Cartier which focused on more affordable watches for the general population. It was a booming success, especially due to the use of quartz movements and sterling silver cases which were still considered precious, albeit way more accessible than solid gold. Admittedly, some of the vermeil (a term for gold-plated sterling silver) examples haven’t aged well as the gold plating has worn away, but the plain sterling silver cases have aged just as gracefully as any vintage Cartier Tank. After all these decades, those same watches are still fantastic affordable alternatives to a brand-new Cartier, and they were still produced up until the 2000s. On a design level, it’s pretty hard to top the Tank.